A simple test that takes only seconds to complete can help predict how long you might live, new research suggests.
The “sitting-rising test,” or SRT, gauges how well you can sit down and rise from the floor without assistance. Middle-aged and older adults who scored low on performance had about an 11 times increased risk of death compared to those who could perform the test unassisted, according to a study published in June in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
The SRT is a good predictor of lifespan because it measures several aspects of non-aerobic fitness, which is increasingly being recognized as just as important to longevity as cardio, Claudio Gil S. Araújo, MD, PhD, lead study author and director of Research and Education at Exercise Medicine Clinic-CLINIMEX, told Health.
Here’s what you need to know about the test and what it might say about your fitness and longevity.
The SRT test measures how well you can sit and rise from the floor, deducting points if assistance is needed. Starting with a maximum score of five points for sitting and five for rising, one point is deducted if any body part, such as a knee or hand, is needed for support during test execution. Any unsteadiness or loss of balance during the test knocks off a half point.
To try the test at home, follow these steps:
- Start by standing barefoot on a non-slip surface such as a thin mat. Make sure you’re wearing clothes that allow you to move your body freely.
- Without worrying about speed, try to sit on the floor using the least amount of assistance needed.
- From the sitting position, try to rise back up to standing, again using the least amount of assistance needed.
Throughout the test, you can cross your legs without any deductions—as long as you don’t use the sides of your feet for support. A perfect score of 10 indicates the ability to stand and rise unassisted, while a score of zero indicates someone is unable to stand and rise alone without assistance.
Experts say that people with physical disabilities, or who are pregnant or elderly shouldn’t try the test.
The paper builds on a 2014 study led by Araújo, which found a link between low SRT scores and an increased risk of death from any cause.
The new study expands on that research by using the same participants—those enrolled in a Brazilian exercise research program—but excludes non-natural causes of death, including COVID-related deaths, and divides participants into more detailed scoring groups, explained Araújo, who pioneered the SRT as an evaluation tool in the late 1990s.
Participants included 2,892 men and 1,390 women ages 46 to 75 without any physical restrictions. They were instructed to sit and rise from the floor using as little support as possible, without worrying about the speed of movement.
Researchers divided scores into five groups, with the lowest being zero to four and the highest being 10. Then they followed up with participants after a median of 12 years.
The researchers’ findings suggest that it could be.
During the follow-up period, 665 participants had died from natural causes, most commonly cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and respiratory diseases. Results revealed that:
- Participants who had a score of 10, the highest, had an average 3.7% death rate
- The death rate tripled to 11% for those with a score of eight
- Those in the lowest score group had a 42% increased death rate
Also notable: Nearly 50% of participants who couldn’t rise from the floor alone died during a 10-year period. Only three people with SRT scores of 10 died from natural causes in the first four years of follow-up.
Nicholas Mortensen, PhD, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Michigan State University, told Health that the study was “great,” and specifically noted its long duration and large sample size.
However, the authors noted that participants were primarily from upper socioeconomic and education classes, which means the results may not apply to a broader population. Medication usage and current physical activity levels, which significantly impact longevity, also weren’t included, added Mortensen.
The researchers didn’t investigate why SRT might predict longevity. However, the test effectively measures multiple components of nonaerobic fitness that studies have shown are tied to longevity, said Araújo.
One of those factors is balance, especially in the lower back and abdominal muscles. That is “crucial for mitigating fall risk, a vital consideration as we age,” Mortensen said.
Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries in adults ages 65 and over, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Additionally, someone’s ability to easily perform the SRT reveals a good amount about their range of motion, which tends to decline with age if not trained regularly, Mortensen added.
A poor score could indicate a loss of muscle power, or dynapenia, which occurs with aging, explained Araújo. Research has shown that dyapenia is a strong predictor of mortality in middle-aged and older people.
If you try the SRT and your score is in the lower range, don’t worry—you can always improve, said Araújo. The key is to find out whether the low score is due to lack of strength, flexibility, muscle power, balance, or any combination of those factors, he said. A physical therapist or personal trainer can make that assessment.
Scores also lessen with age, although anyone under the age of 40 should get a perfect 10, advised Araújo.
Those who struggle with the SRT should prioritize exercise—even climbing stairs regularly can help develop leg strength and full-body coordination, said Mortenson.
Studies have shown that sitting in and then standing up from a chair can be “extremely valuable because it teaches individuals how to sit and stand and can train similar muscles used in the SRT test, but through a smaller and possibly safer range of motion,” said Mortensen.
What’s clear, he added, is that making both cardio and nonaerobic exercise part of your regular routine is essential to long-term health.
